Remember the War Crimes committed in Gaza

by Free Gaza Fri May 15, 2009 09:33

PCHR Weekly Report: 5 Palestinians injured by Israeli forces this week
Friday May 15, 2009 10:10 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, during the week of 07 - 13 May 2009, five Palestinian civilians, including two children and one woman, were wounded by Israeli forces. Israeli forces conducted 15 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank, and abducted 12 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, and four in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces also abducted the mother of an allegedly wanted Palestinian.

Soldier pointing gun at Palestinian civilians in Hebron after Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians there (PCHR photo)

Israeli attacks in the West Bank:

In the West Bank, four Palestinian civilians, including two children, were wounded when Israeli forces used force against a peaceful demonstration organized in protest of the construction of the Annexation Wall in Bil'in village, west of Ramallah.

Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians throughout the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip continue to be denied access to Jerusalem.

During 15 incursions into the West Bank, Israeli forces abducted 12 Palestinians. In just one example of the 15 attacks this week, on Saturday morning, 09 May 2009, Israeli forces prevented a number of Palestinian farmers from Beit Uammar and Safa village, north of Hebron, accompanied by a number of international and Israeli human rights defenders, from reaching agricultural area located in Wadi Abu al-Reesh area to the north of the two villages. Israeli forces besieged them and forced them to leave the area. It is worth noting that Israeli forces have continued to restrict access of Palestinian farmers to at least 300 donums of agricultural land located to the north of Beit Ummar village, raising concerns that Israeli forces intend to annex the land to the nearby "Beit 'Ain" settlement.

Palestinian civilians continue to be harassed by Israeli forces in Jerusalem, and across the West Bank, including being regularly stopped and searched in the streets by Israeli forces. Israeli forces have established checkpoints in and around Jerusalem, severely restricting Palestinian access to the city. On Monday, 11 May 2009, Israeli forces prevented Palestinian civilians in from traveling in their cars in al-Sawana quarter in al-Tour village, except from 21:00 to 03:00, stating that the area is very close to the place where the Pope stays during his visit to the city. Israeli forces made use of the Pope's visit to impose more restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. Israeli forces also prevented Palestinian civilians under the age of 55 from entering al-Aqsa Mosque.

On Monday May 11th, in the morning, Israeli forces raided the Ambassador Hotel in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem and presented a decision signed by the Israeli Internal Security Minister ordering the closure of the Palestinian Media Center, which was covering the Pope's visit from the hotel. They confiscated all documents related to the center, and threatened the administration of the hotel with closure, it if it allowed the Media Center to work from it again.

There are approximately 630 permanent roadblocks, and manned and unmanned checkpoints across the West Bank. In addition, Israeli forces erect approximately 60-80 ‘flying’ or temporary checkpoints across the West Bank each week. At least 65% of the main roads that leads to 18 Palestinian communities in the West Bank are closed or fully controlled by Israeli forces (47 out of 72 roads).

This week, Israeli forces annexed 110 dunums of Palestinian land to "Burkan" settlement in the northern West Bank.

Israeli forces positioned at military checkpoints in the West Bank abducted five Palestinian civilians, including a child and a girl. On Sunday morning, 10 May 2009, Israeli forces patrolling on the Tunnel road leading to Jerusalem abducted a 15-year-old Palestinian child, who has not been identified, claiming that he intended to stab an Israeli soldier.

Israeli Annexation Wall:

When complete, the illegal Annexation Wall will stretch for 724 kilometers around the West Bank, further isolating the entire population. 350 kilometers of the Wall have already been constructed. Approximately 99% of the Wall has been constructed inside the West Bank itself, further confiscating Palestinian land.

Israeli forces continue to harass, and assault demonstrators who hold peaceful protests against the construction of the Annexation Wall. Israeli forces have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside West Bank territory. During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the Wall.

Following the Friday Prayer on 08 May 2009, dozens of Palestinian civilians gathered in the center of Bil'in village, west of Ramallah. They moved towards the Wall and, in reaction to Israeli forces countermeasures, threw stones at Israeli forces positioned in the area. Immediately, Israeli forces fired at the demonstrators. As a result, four Palestinian civilians, including two children, were injured, including 'Abdullah Mahmoud Abu Rahma, 38, an organizer with the Anti-Wall campaign, who was hit by a tear gas canister to the chest

Israeli settlement activities:

Israeli forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.

On Tuesday morning, 12 May 2009, a number of Israeli settlers, escorted by Israeli forces, broke into the evacuated "Homesh" settlement, northwest of Nablus, and performed religious ceremonies. It is worth noting that Israeli forces had evacuated the aforementioned settlement in 2005 in the context of the implementation of the "Disengagement Plan," which included redeployment from the Gaza Strip and parts of the northern West Bank. Israeli settlers often return to the settlement and attack Palestinian civilians in the area.

On Tuesday evening, hundreds of Israeli settlers organized a provocative march that moved from "Kiryat Arba" settlement, southeast of Hebron, passing through the area of Wadi al-Hussain, al-Nassara, Jaber, al-Salaima, the Ibrahimi Mosque, al-Sahla and al-Shuhada, reaching "Ramat Yishai" settlement outpost in Tal Rumaida neighborhood in the center of Hebron. During the march, Israeli settlers attempted to attack Palestinian civilians, including children.

Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip:

In the Gaza Strip, on 07 May 2009, a Palestinian woman was wounded when Israeli forces positioned at the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel opened fire at Palestinian houses in al-Shouka village, east of Rafah. During the reporting period, Israeli forces gunboats fired on Palestinian fishing boats.

Also in the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces naval troops detained four Palestinian fishermen for several hours.

Israeli forces have continued to close all border crossings to the Gaza Strip for more than two years. The Israeli siege of Gaza, which has steadily tightened since June 2007, has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.

Recommendations to the international community:

Due to the number and severity of Israeli human rights violations this week, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights made a number of recommendations to the international community. Among these were a recommendation that human rights organizations, bar associations, unions and NGOs continue their role in pressuring their governments to secure Israel's respect for human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and to end its attacks on Palestinian civilians.

The PCHR calls upon the international community to pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupation forces on access for international organizations to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

For the full text of the report, click on the link below:

palestine | human rights | news report saed at imemc dot org
Related Link(s): http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/W_report/English/2008/14-...9.htm
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